It may have only been just over 20 day ago that we were ringing in the new year and looking back at the perfume highs and lows of 2013 but the industry machine churns on and already we’re seeing announcements of new and upcoming launches from familiar brands. This is all very exciting of course, as 12 exciting months of olfactory discovery awaits the gluttonous noses of many a perfume addict. I say bring it on!

One intriguing new launch that caught my eye last week was the brand new scent from quirky British house Penhaligon’s. Tralala (launching in April -100ml for £150) is the whimsical name of the perfume and it has been created in collaboration with another British name – the unconventional fashion brand Meadham Kirchoff. Having scented the brand’s collections for 9 seasons, Penhaligon’s and perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour have set out to bottle the fantastical and contrasting world of one of Britain’s most idiosyncratic fashion houses.

Meadham Kirchoff describe themselves as creating “feminine designs that are considered and executed in a old fashioned manner” [1]. The scent therefore “evokes the interplay of glamour and retrospection favoured by Meadham Kirchoff” [2] and boasts a list of ingredients that are both modern and classic, and would seem at home in one of Guerlain’s older scents. The official notes are:

Perhaps the most eye-catching part of Tralala is the bottle. Yes, I know that it’s really supposed to be ‘all about the juice’ but presentation really is important and a great bottle can strengthen the overarching concept and one’s experience of a scent. So the tearful clown (or is it a doll?) lid, oversized signature Penhaligon’s bow (in red velvet no less) and ribbon font of Tralala certainly make for a bold statement – I wonder if it will compliment or overshadow the scent itself? I’ll be reviewing the scent in the coming weeks so all shall be revealed.

Tralala got me thinking about perfume bottles in general and how they can add to the pleasure of smelling and owning a fragrance. One notable of example of this is the metallic covered open heart of Alexander McQueen’s Kingdom, a bottle that perfectly evokes the savage beauty of the perfume it contains. Mugler’s Angel also does a good job of creating accenting its perfume with a celestial bottle that weaves a story of ethereal danger into the iconic juice.

Tell me; what outlandish or beautiful perfume bottles have you come across recently? What bottles add to the experience of the perfume they contain? Do any overshadow the juice? What do you think of Tralala’s bottle? What upcoming launches are you looking forward to? Please leave your thoughts in the comments box below!

I certainly dislike this bottle. The doll head on the cap looks creepy, the ribbon seems like it’s too big to allow the easy use of the sprayer trigger and the name is weird too. In Polish “tralala” is a word we use when we want to offend someone by not listening to them. Someone is talking to you, you cover your eyes and start “singing” tralala… We use it also when someone is telling lies.

It’s possibly not a name that translates well. In English it’s more of a whimsical, fantastical word that evokes the image of people larking about.

I personally kind of liking the unsettling look of the doll and the massive bow is very Meadham Kirchoff. I imagine that the bow is attached to the lid, as is the case with many Pengaligon’s bottles, so it shouldn’t affect the sprayer.

That cap is a bit creepy looking but not nearly as creepy as the Marni doll. I totally want that stupid doll though. It’s the bow I don’t like on this.
I can’t think of any fabulous bottles I’ve seen recently, at least not any new ones. I haven’t been out at the mall sniffing in a while either.

I really like the over-sized bow and the “creepy doll head” does fit with the whimsical feel evoked by the name (which I also like a lot). Bottles mean a lot to me. I much prefer them to decants. So when a perfume house puts the effort into the bottle I really appreciate it.

I just hope the fragrance lives up to the fun concept and intriguing note list. Really looking forward to your review Thomas.

I love this bottle, to be honest. And after reading BD’s comments about this scent on Clayton’s blog (from back when he couldn’t name the scent), I am actually quite excited to test this one. We shall see!